Falling Down
by darkwoodsdreamer
Summary: Even the best fall down sometimes. But sometimes, they don't get back up.


**This is for the Theme Song Competition by WizardWay. I got the song Light Up the Sky by Ywllowcard. For those of you who know the song, the only aspect I was really able to use is the dying for said person in the chorus. I had trouble with this because it's not my exact style of music and I wasn't familiar with the song. It took a while, but I finally got it done. I hope you guys enjoy and review!**

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><p>Remus and Sirius walked side by side, the cool night breeze gently blowing the hair out of their eyes. Remus closed his eyes as a slow smile spread across his face and took Sirius's hand, who gave his hand a small squeeze.<p>

Remus lived for moments like this; moments when they could get away from their hectic, fast - paced school life. As much as he seemed to enjoy school and studying, the truth was he couldn't stand to get bad grades. After all the drama in his life he couldn't live with himself of on top of that he couldn't keep up his grades. And why submit to the stereotypes? Everyone always assumed that werewolves were stupid, mindless animals and Remus hated it, the way his kind was never given a chance to prove themselves. Dumbledore gave him a chance, and he wasn't about to waste it. So the truth of the matter was, he hated studying all the time, all his free time and mind space that didn't go to Sirius, the upcoming transformation or the Marauders going to school work, but it had to be done.

And so he cherished these moments when he didn't have to think. They walked along the shore of the lake, taking in the dark waters, mysterious and dangerous, illuminated by the glow of a crescent moon. They sat, leaning against a large beech tree. Remus leaned his head on Sirius's shoulder and sighed contentedly. Sirius snaked a hand around his waist and pulled him closer, his head resting on Remus's.

"I wish every night could be like this." he murmured in Remus's ear, making him smile.

"So do I. But James would protest rather dramatically and publicly." Remus pointed out. Sirius laughed quietly.

"Remind me to hold this against him when he and Evans are off on dates every night."

"When?" Remus asked skeptically. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but Lily hates him. I'd go so far to say she loathes him." Sirius laughed again and waved a hand.

"She doesn't hate him. She hates me." he said. Remus pondered this.

"Maybe you're right." he said. He snuggled deeper into Sirius arms as a breeze chilled him, making his shiver and Sirius tighten his grip on his waist.

They stopped talking now, simply enjoying the each other's company as they listened to the soft rustling of the trees brushing against their neighbors in the forest and the sound of fish, or perhaps frogs, splashing in the lake although it was too dark for them to see them. All around crickets chirped and birds sang. It was only them and nature and Remus could hardly ask for anything more. Out here he could forget that he was a werewolf. He could forget that his father hated him because of his lycanthropy. He forgot about upcoming tests and unfinished homework. Everything slipped away, all his thoughts leaving one by one until, finally, it was just him, Sirius and nature.

But this peacefulness was to be interrupted to early, almost an hour before the usually made their way up the castle. A soft rustle they had attributed to the soft winds somewhere in the back of their subconscious became a sharp snap as a foot made a misstep and broke a small twig, but the sound stilled all other soft noises made by the animals. Even the trees seemed to stand still. Remus felt his body go tense as his lucanthropy-heightened senses picked up the tiny noise where Sirius's very human ones did not. Nor did the offenders, apparently, as he kept approaching. The moment Remus's brain had registered this he was on his feet immediately, snarling in the direction of the sound and smell. Sirius, his hand still on Remus's left side, gripped him a bit firmer to pull himself up, knowing that despite his small size he would not be pulled down. He leaned in close to his ear once he was standing and whispered;

"What is it, Remus?" But Remus did not have to answer that question because before he got the chance, a drawlin voice came out of the shadows.

"I always knew, Lupin. I always knew something was off about you, but I admit I didn't see quite this coming." Sirius hissed as he recognized the voice.

"Sod off, Malfoy." he said in a voice louder than necessary seeing as the sound carried across the almost entirely silent night easily. Malfoy hadn't barely needed to whisper to be heard clearly. A female voice, high and slightly mad sounding, laughed.

"Careful, faggot, we can see perfectly while you can't; we're in a much better place to attack." Both Remus ans Sirius flinched at the word faggot as though she had hit them. The voice squealed in delight. "Ooh, wait until I tell dear Auntie Walberga the newest way her oldest son has failed her. She might finally disown you for this!" he saw the faint outline of an object rise through the air slowly as to avoid detection, and by the time he recognized it for what it was, the girl pointed the wand at Sirius and said in a delighted whisper, "Crucio!"

Remus whipped around in horror as he felt Sirius's hand fall away from him and he crashed to the ground, letting out a bloodcurdling scream. Remus made a move towards him, even knowing that he could do nothing to help but acting on instinct nevertheless.

"Oh no, I don't think so. Stupefy." came Malfoy's drawlin voice and Remus felt himself freeze and fall backwards. He could do nothing but lay and listen to Sirius scream; it just about tore his heart apart. Finally, after what felt like ages, the curse lifted and Sirius lay heaving not a yard away but he still couldn't move. It was agony, and he hadn't even been subjected to the Cruatious Curse.

"Bellatrix... I will kill you... so help me, I will do it." Sirius spat when he had caught his breath. Bellatrix? Not Bellatrix Black, Sirius's cousin? Tried to swivel his eyes to see her face, but she was shrouded in a black cloak that made her impossible to see in the dark.

"You know, dear cousin, I was surprised to see that Lucius here was right. I had said, 'No, surely not my cousin. He's a disgrace and a blood traitor, but surely not a perverted faggot?'" Lucius's high laugh came from behind Remus.

"It's true. She still believed in you, poor naive girl." Bellatrix gave a dramatic sigh. Remus was disgusted with the two. Here they sat, mercilessly attacking them for no good reason and making small talk as though they had all just gotten together for a nice chat at The Three Broomsticks! It infuriated him, and if he hadn't been frozen in place he was sure he wouldn't have been able to suppress the wolf and would have attacked them.

"This is no fun, Bella. Let's turn them loose, have a real duel." He heard Bellatrix humming in thought. In a move no one saw coming, Sirius jumped off the ground and pointed his wand at his cousin. Without saying a word, a jet of red light flew at her, which she deflected with ease and a laugh. Remus was amazed. Sirius was using spells even he didn't know and silently, something Remus was struggling with. He supposed he must have been taught to duel at home as part of being a pureblood because Bellatrix blocked and returned his hexes with the same ease. Malfoy flicked his wand almost lazily and released Remus from the jinx. He knew Lucius was expecting him to jump at him the minute he did, and used all of his will power to keep still until Malfoy got frustrated and sent a jet of light at him which he deflected and jumped to his feet to send a Stinging Hex at the white-blond Slytherin.

The duel continued in a similar manner for several minutes, neither side sustaining much damage. However it wasn't long before Malfoy became tired while Remus was still going strong because of his werewolf blood and let a Full Body Bind Curse slip through his shield. He may not have been physically tired, but his heart was hammering and his breath coming fast from fear. Bellatrix was insane; she wouldn't think twice about killing Sirius if the battle dragged on too long for her liking. The trick was to make sure she didn't get bored.

Remus waited until Bellatrix stopped laughing with every deflected spell and failure on Sirius's part, pretending to catch his breath, before jumping into the battle as well. Sirius grinned his thanks at Remus tiredly, sweat covered face just visible among the light from the flying spells. Bellatrix was interested again, although she was no longer laughing as she had to concentrate harder while fighting two people.

It wasn't long before Bellatrix got fed up and Remus couldn't think of a way to keep her interested until she ran out of steam. He tried hopelessly to throw harder jinks and curses at her, but to no avail. Eventually she yelled out, "This has been fun, but the fun is over now." Obviously not wanting anyone to hear what spell she was using, she kept her mouth firmly shut and shot a jet of emerald green light in Sirius's direction.

Time seemed to slow down. The beam of light had crossed one fourth of the distance to where Sirius stood, panting, sweat pouring down his face. He had just seen the spell; his mind was still processing what this meant.

The spell was half way to his position. He had not yet raised his wand to defend himself; at this point there would be no time even if he attempted a strong enough Shield Charm now. Remus saw mingled terror and shock reflected in the glow of the Killing Curse, having underestimated his cousin and not thought she would go so far to use and Unforgivable Curse. Remus knew what had to be done. He took a few steps in Sirius's direction; he was only feet away but it seemed like miles.

Three fourths of the way to Sirius. Remus leaped through the air, praying he had timed this right and that he would make it before the beam but not so much before that he would fall before the beam struck.

Of course Remus would not have chosen this if it could have been prevented, but this was the only way in his eyes. He refused to live without Sirius and it either came down to that or dying. Plus, he was sure the Marauders were the only ones who would actually miss him. And maybe James could use the whole grief bit to finally win Lily over. Also, should he really be thinking these things in the middle of literally jumping to his death.

Oh... Sirius had realized what he was about to do. Remus have him this look as he reached out to stop him, his face and eyes illuminated by the now very close light, and Sirius was stopped dead in his tracks, tears brimming at his eyes at the apology in them.

The light hit Remus in the chest. An odd sensation filled him, something like tingling. The Killing Curse ripped apart your atoms, stole the life force from them and put them back together all in under a second. It really should be incredibly painful, but the body had no idea what to do with that kind of cell damage and so throws up a pathetic sort of tingling. Why, Remus asked himself, was he considering the scientific principles of how he was currently dying? He supposed it was just too ingrained in his brain.

As he felt his life draining, he heard Sirius choke out, "Remus... Remus, no..." and instantly felt guilty. He had counted on death being immediate and not having to suffer this pain of hearing his best friend and lover watch him die. He used the very last bit of life to squeeze the hand that he felt in his hand.

His eyes drifted closed and Sirius couldn't stop the sobs that came as Bellatrix Lestrange snuck off into the night to find her new Lord.


End file.
